In 2019, Alain and Rémi set out in search of a sailboat to discover the world. By chance, they came across a splendid 18-m aluminum ketch. Although they were originally looking for a smaller yacht, they fell in love with this monohull, which can be seen in Saint-Quay-Portrieux. After the purchase and repatriation to Crouesty, they will take advantage of this Covid year to renovate her.
A solid 18 m monohull
This ketch, then called Shearmyste, was designed by Laurent Giles and built in 1984 by the English shipyard Thrislington, Newton Aycliffe in Durham. This yacht obviously sailed quite a lot on the English coast before undertaking a transatlantic race with ARC in 1992. But it seems to have remained in port for a long time. Alain and Rémi bought her from a couple who had planned to set off on a voyage, but had to part with her, as Madame suffered from unmanageable seasickness.
The yacht is in good condition. It has a beautiful saloon offering good visibility over the sea. Despite her size, she has only 3 double cabins. The equipment is designed for cruising, with a real workshop and a beautiful engine room. The entire yacht is designed to sail in all latitudes, as it is fully insulated.
From white to red in tribute to Cigare Rouge
To give it a new lease of life, Alain and Rémi decided to repaint it. Originally white, Télémaque (her new name) now has a beautiful red hull. Alain chose this color after coming across Jean-Luc Van den Heed's (then Catherine Chabaud's) sailboat, Cigare Rouge. Like him, Alain also decided to repaint the masts red. And he has no regrets: " We often hear about the red-masted sailing ship "he adds.
A complete renovation in 2020
But the renovation was not limited to a lick of paint. All standing rigging and sails were replaced before departure. We now have a full batten mainsail and mizzen, a yankee and a staysail each on a furler, and finally an asymmetric spinnaker on a furler.
In terms of autonomy, this yacht is designed to tackle hostile regions without refuelling. It carries 2,100 liters of diesel to power the 180 hp Perkins engine, as well as a forced-air heater. In addition to solar panels (650 W in total), a mizzen-mounted wind generator and a hydrogenerator complete the battery charging system.
Around the Atlantic in 5 years
In late autumn 2020, the 2 friends leave the French coast. Telemaque takes them across the Bay of Biscay, down the Portuguese coast, to the Canaries, before a transatlantic crossing to the West Indies. This is not a fast voyage, nor is speed the crew's aim. "We like to take our time and discover each place," explains Alain. So, after 5 years, Télémaque returns to its starting point in Crouesty. The end of the adventure.
Despite weighing 26 tonnes, Alain admits that his boat is making good progress. She can handle heavy weather. " I can manoeuvre it well on my own, without any worries. We've had strong winds at times, but I've never felt in trouble "adds Alain.
On sale for ?195,000 only
Now that the program is over, Alain and Rémi are putting Télémaque up for sale. " We've deliberately decided not to put it on the market at a high price, so that the sale can be completed quickly. We don't want to spend 2 years on it. This yacht is capable of a fine program, ready to go, and will be able to take its next owner to the wildest dreams! "
